Anyone who has ever picked college football games would love to have my problem.

I'm concerned how my winning percentage will look in the paper. Readers just aren't accustomed to seeing 1.000 (See last paragraph of column). Maybe you can relate to this better: 24-0; or, in a word, "perfect."

Some sports columnists would make a big deal about PICKING EVERY GAME CORRECTLY, but that's not my style. It's just one week in a long season, and a PERFECT WEEK will mean nothing unless I continue to improve each week.

To be PERFECTLY honest, I don't expect to PICK EVERY GAME CORRECTLY. I'll just focus on picking one game at a time and do the best I can. If that results in PERFECTION, so be it.

Tennessee 38, Air Force 7: I have a natural aversion to picking against future American heroes. But as you can tell from my PERFECT FIRST WEEK, I also have an aversion to being wrong.

The Vols had too much speed for Cal. They also have too much speed for Air Force.

Guys who train to fly F-16s can appreciate that.

South Carolina 16, Georgia 13: Coach Steve Spurrier beat East Division rivals Tennessee and Florida in his first year back in the SEC. Now, it's Georgia's turn.

Georgia won't come close to the 238 yards rushing it had on South Carolina last season, and quarterback Joe Tereshinksi won't be able to make up the yards passing. Spurrier will come up with just enough offense to pull off the upset.

Auburn 27, Mississippi State 0: The Bulldogs have been shut out in two of their last three home games, including this year's season opener against South Carolina. As if they didn't have enough offensive problems, starting quarterback Michael Henig is out for at least six weeks with a broken collarbone.

If you can count to 10, you usually don't need a scoreboard to keep score at for Mississippi State. The Bulldogs have scored 10 or fewer points in nine of their last 10 SEC games.

Ole Miss 41, Ole Mizzou 38: Never mind that the Rebels were 7-15 the last two years. This qualifies as a tough non-conference game for Missouri.

Too tough, in fact.

Aside from their Big 12 games, the Tigers haven't played a regular-season game against an opponent from a BCS conference since 2003. In the last five years, their non-conference losses have come against New Mexico, Troy and Bowling Green (twice).

LSU 34, Arizona 17: The Tigers have fond memories of their last meeting with the Wildcats. They beat them 59-13 on their way to a national championship.

Arizona isn't the only non-conference opponent that has served the Tigers well. LSU has won 14 consecutive regular-season non-conference games - by an average of 30.8 points.

Arkansas 45, Utah State 8: Arkansas' Houston Nutt might be the first coach in SEC history to compliment his defense after it gave up 50 points. But don't think of 50 points as half a hundred; think of it as improvement.

After losing to Southern Cal 70-17 last season, Saturday's 50-14 setback must have seemed like a veritable nail-biter to Hogs fans, some of whom actually stuck around long enough to see freshman quarterback Mitch Mustain win the starting job in the fourth quarter.

Mustain will face another improved defense in his first start. Utah State only gave up five touchdowns in its 38-7 loss to Wyoming last week.

Wyoming scored 48 points on the Aggies in their previous meeting.

Alabama 31, Vanderbilt 10: Look for the Commodores to follow Hawaii's strategy against the Tide. The Warriors fell behind Alabama 22-3, then rallied for a 25-17 loss in which they were threatening to score again late in the game.

The strategy will play to Vanderbilt's strength, which is falling behind so convincingly that it often leaves its opponent overconfident. The falling-behind part has worked better than the comeback part against Alabama.

The Commodores have lost 18 consecutive games in the series - unless you count their forfeit victory in 1993, compliments of the NCAA - and are averaging 8.5 points for their last six games against the Tide.

Florida 30, Central Florida 13: Florida coach Urban Meyer was uncharacteristically complimentary of his running backs the week of the season opener. He was back in form after the Gators' 34-7 victory over the University of Southern Mississippi, which held Florida to 143 yards rushing.

The day after the game, Meyer was already talking about trying freshman wide receiver Percy Harvin at running back. Albert The Mascot is reportedly next in line.

There's nothing new about the situation. Six times in the last eight years, Florida's leading rusher has failed to gain 700 yards.

Kentucky 37, Texas State 13: The Bobcats' star offensive player (whoever that is) might want to sit this one out. You don't mess with Kentucky's bend-and-break defense, which is more break than bend.

Last week, the Wildcats broke the leg of Louisville Heisman Trophy candidate Michael Bush. On a less-intimidating note, they gave up 59 points, which is more than Kentucky's 2004-05 basketball team allowed in 11 of its first 16 games.

Top 25: Ohio State 23, Texas 20; Notre Dame 27, Penn State 20; West Virginia 48, Eastern Washington 7; Florida State 37, Troy 7; Michigan 34, Central Michigan 13; Louisville 52, Temple 7; Iowa 37, Syracuse 10; Oklahoma 30, Washington 13; Virginia Tech 30, North Carolina 17; Miami 38, Florida A&M 3; Clemson 27, Boston College 23; Oregon 30, Fresno State 24; Nebraska 45, Nicholls State 7; Cal 34, Minnesota 27; TCU 38, UC Davis 7; Texas Tech 34, UTEP 30; Arizona State 37, Nevada 27.

Record: 24-0 (1.000) overall, 14-7 (.667) against the spread.

Sports editor John Adams may be reached 865-342-6284 or adamsj@knews.com.